“We don’t really get bonafide love stories like Milan Talkies any more” – Ali Fazal

By Subhash K. Jha -

March 20, 2019 - 11:28 AM IST

It is a happy co-incidence that Ali Fazal has done his first full-fledged romantic film Milan Talkies right when his own love story with Richa Chadda unfolds. Reluctantly Ali, who is currently looking at the second season of his highly successful digital series Mirzapur, admits that being in love does make celluloid love more interesting. “I am sure it affects the way you look at love. How can it not?! But more than my own feelings I relied on my director Tigmanshu Dhulia to guide me through the conventions of love in Milan Talkies. He had never done a full-on love story. Neither had I.”

“We don’t really get bonafide love stories like Milan Talkies any more” – Ali Fazal

Ali rues the scarcity of love stories on celluloid. “We don’t really get bonafide love stories like Milan Talkies any more. Here all the conventions of filmy love are employed. And yet there is a refreshing attitude to love in this film.”

The couple in Milan Talkies is seen being refreshingly candid about sex. Says Ali, “Young couples today, even in the so-called small towns, do discuss and have sex, the way we are shown in Milan Talkies. More have changed across the country. And most cities across India are now clued in to global trends including live-in relationships and pre-marital sex. It’s not something we did in the film to shock or titillate the audience. This is how young people speak and feel. Sex is an organic part of a relationship today and we wanted it that way in the film.”

Ali gives all credit to his co-star, the lovely Shraddha Srinath for the credible romance that’s woven into the film. “We can’t show young people just looking and smiling coyly at one another. Social attitudes to relationships and sex have changed. Cinema must reflect that change. Shraddha is a terrific actress and a fine co-star to work with.”

Ali feels he is fortunate to have landed with the role of the lover boy-filmmaker in Milan Talkies. “I am aware of the hands that the role passed through. I am grateful to all those actors who didn’t do the film. I fell in love with my character and film as soon as Tigmanshu narrated it to me.”

Now Ali has his hands full this year. “I’ve the second season of the webseries Mirzapur. I don’t mind giving three months of my life to it. The impact has been tremendous. The reach of the series is staggering. I also have a new film with Saif Ali Khan and Fatima Sana Sheikh for Star Fox studios which I’m looking forward to. There are some other projects that I am on the verge of signing. There is no shortage of work or time. You just need to be at the right place at the right time.”